“Well hello there. I would have thought you would be in bed all day after the amount you drank last night.”

“Not my first hangover.”

“Aren’t we chipper.”

“Can I get you anything or are you just stalking me?”

“Do I look like I need to stalk someone to get their attention?”

He’s a smug bastard. But he’s right. I wasn’t very observant last night, but I definitely am now. He’s got on faded, light wash jeans with holes in them (hanging quite low, might I add), and a tight teal polo that shows off his arms. His blonde hair looks like he doesn’t own a brush, but it suits him. I finally focus on his eyes and I’m a goner. They’re blue.

“I’ll take that as you agree with me.” He smirks way too much.

“Will you just order and stop distracting me.”

“I want a date.”

“Well that’s not on the menu.”

“Maybe not on the one you’re looking at.”

His stare is intense, so I look away. When I glance back at him his eyes are on a group of girls that just sat down.

“Why don’t you ask out the girl with the a** you’re checking out?”

He drags his gaze to me and gives me a puzzled look. Exactly. I don’t have time for this mess.

“Okay, we’re done here.”

I leave him laughing to himself.

I work the rest of my shift and start to head home. I check my phone and have more texts from an unknown number.

That’s the second time with the bartender. Watch yourself, Callie.

“You okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

I look up to find Josh, worry etched all over his face.

“I’m fine, but what are you doing here?”

“I wasn’t sure I would see you at the bar tonight, and like I said, I want a date. You know you want to go.” His face is full of hope, but I know I have to crush it.

“Look, I don’t want to date you.”

“You and I both know that’s a lie. So what’s the real reason?”

“You don’t want to get involved with me. So go obsess over some other girl, okay?”

“That’s not a reason.”

I don’t even know him, and my heart already trusts him. But trust isn’t the issue. His safety is.

“It’s not safe for you to be with me. Now, will you please just give up?”

I push past him and start walking towards home. He catches up to me and syncs his pace to mine.

“Why is it not safe to be with you? Are you a fugitive or something?”

“What? No.”

“Then why?”

“Just is. Now drop it.”

He’s silent for a few minutes. I can tell he’s trying to figure me out. We reach my apartment and I turn to look at him. He stares straight into my eyes and my breath catches. I hesitate on throwing out all reason and just inviting him in. To everything. But it’s selfish, and I know I can’t do that to him. I focus back on reality and he’s closer. Much closer. If I leaned in, just a little bit, I could kiss him.

“Why are you fighting this? I know you want to. And yet, you’re fighting it.”

Just as I’m about to answer, my phone vibrates.

I warned you, Callie. Leave now and I will forgive your mistake. Don’t, and see what happens.

I have never really been good at hiding my reactions.

“There’s that look again. What are you hiding?”

He doesn’t bother waiting for me to respond, he just takes my phone. Considering I’m in shock from what I just read, I don’t put up much of a fight.

“What the h**l Callie? Who is this?”

“It’s my ex.”

“Does he know that?”

I laugh darkly, “I’d say so. He just got married.”

“Then why haven’t you taken this to the police?”

“Because I have no actual proof. They won’t take me seriously. And he knows that. This isn’t the first time.”

“Is this why you think it isn’t safe?”

I look down at the ground, too ashamed to look him in the eye. I’ve always felt branded; like I’m Eric’s property and he won’t let go. Doesn’t matter if he has someone else; he still makes sure that I know I’m his. For the longest time I wanted to be his, even when I knew it wasn’t smart to be with him. My heart didn’t know better. But I know if I look in Josh’s eyes now I won’t be able to fight him anymore. I won’t want to.

“Callie.”

He pulls my focus from the ground and makes me look him.

“You need to take this to the police. I’ll go with you.”

I know he’s right, it just terrifies me.

“You don’t know what he’s like. It will only entice him more if I try to go to the police.”

He braces my face with his hands so I can’t turn away.

“Callie, I wasn’t asking.”

He hands me my phone back and takes my keys out of my hand. I only have two keys so it doesn’t take him long to unlock the door. He comes back to me and pushes me towards the door. When I get inside he closes the door and looks at me. He’s waiting on me to tell him which apartment. No one has ever cared to ask questions. I cut all contact with my friends and none of them have even tried to find me. But this guy looks like he is going to start busting down doors on my behalf if I don’t tell him.

“It’s upstairs, second door on the right.”